VALUE: Fast. Cheap. High Quality. Choose Two.

Another solid work week comes to an end.

And for the first time in a while… we’re heading into a full month with no public holiday interruptions.

This week, one theme stood out repeatedly across my sales engagements with both individuals and clients:

Value over price.

But before I get into that, a quick update on the exercise routine.

This week:

• 40km biking 🚴

• 30km walking 🚶

• A couple of runs mixed in

• Daily planking for 60 seconds

• 25 sit-ups every day — and several days completing 2 sets

Consistency continues.

Now back to sales.

Lately I’ve seen several urgent buying situations in the market, and every buyer seems to want the same three things:

• Fast

• Cheap

• High quality

But here’s the reality…

You only get two.

It’s the oldest triangle in business:

Price. Service. Quality.

Yet most sales conversations completely avoid discussing it.

Instead, sellers try to promise everything:

⚡ Faster delivery

💰 Lower cost

🏆 Better outcomes

That’s not selling.

That’s avoiding the real conversation.

The best salespeople do something different.

They force the trade-off discussion early by asking:

• What matters most here — speed, cost, or quality?

• If we reduce price, what are you willing to give up?

• If this needs to move quickly, what compromises are acceptable?

Because every deal has a constraint.

And if you don’t define it early… your customer will.

Usually at your expense.

Here’s what I see too often:

• “We need it urgently” → but won’t pay for speed

• “We want the best” → but won’t invest in quality

• “We need it cheaper” → but still expect premium service

That’s not a customer problem.

That’s a sales leadership problem.

Your role isn’t to agree with everything.

Your role is to educate buyers on the trade-offs so they can make a real decision.

Because clarity closes deals.

Confusion delays them.

And in this market… delays kill pipeline.

So next time you’re in a deal:

Don’t promise all three.

Make the client choose.

I’ll be back next week with more stories from a week in the life of a Fractional Sales Leader.